OK, first of all, Robert and I decided to leave on the 30th of May, so we could both spend time withour wives that Monday. We'd been working a major shutdown at the JOB and needed a getaway ride.
I got to our meeting spot an hour before Robert. This gave me time to reflect, pick my nose,scratch my ass, and watch the cars go by. I was ready! We took off for Highway 64 out of Memphis, agreat place to be leaving, heading east. For the most part the ride was uneventful, stopping forbreakfast, and just generally enjoying ourselves.
Taking 41 from Winchester, we made our way to theother side of Chattanooga onto 74 into North Carolina. Murphy seemed like a good place to make campas we pulled into this RV park which just so happened to allow tents–that's right, fans,TENTS!Robert sweet talked this nice lady into only charging us $15 together. They picked out a place rightby a quiet, babbling brook, plus we were away from all the other campers, which was cool.
I told him I didn'tsleep very well either 'cause I'm pushing 50 and the hard ground don't like me.
By the way, this part of N.C. is quite beautiful, as 74 runs along a river, and twists and turns formiles. I believe part of the Olympics were held here in '96.
On to Charlotte!! I wanted to stop by the Stealthman's shop to say 'Hi', and to look at his operation, so we did. Ithink we hit every red light in town. Anyway, Mike has a small tight shop, seems like a helluva guy,and has the rider's interest at heart. Keep up the good work!
From there we stayed on the back roads till we got to Myrtle Beach, where Robert's cousin lives.When we first got into M.B. we passed a bar called H-D Spokes, or something to that effect, which waspacked full of bikes, so we made a note to check into it later.
We called David, the cousin, and he gave us directions, so off we went! Now, ol' Dave (43y.o.) lives in a retirement community right beside agolf course. As we roll into the place, I noticed a sign below the sign that has the name of thejoint on it. NO MOTORCYCLES, CAMPERS, TRAILERS and a couple of other things they don't want you tohave. I'm like 'WHADDAFUGG??' After hugs, and introductions, and like that, I mention this sign.
So wedo, go inside for drinks and well needed showers. We get the 25-cent tour, grab a bite to eat, andhit the rack. The next day, it's beach time! Dave had to work, so we're waiting at the beach,checking things (female type) out, and just hanging around.
A short time later, our host shows upwith a cooler full of beer, and water (for me, I don't drink). Rob and David take off down the beachleaving me with Steve, David's workmate, who loves to talk. I mean A LOT! I get up to get a sodafrom the beachside bar and call a friend back home, Ray, who's in bad medical shape and can't rideanymore.
Back at the beach, I find a couple more guys have showed up, and two fairly nice looking women!Well, ain't this something?! It appears that these two are down for a little holiday, and it didn'tappear that they were up for much else… But they wanted a bike ride, and being the gentlemen weare, we obliged. They, one of them, anyway, also wanted to meet later and check out the nightlife.Interesting case study, eh? After several bars, we go to this Spokes bar I mentioned earlier.Fuckin' dead, man! Too weird… From there, the lovelies parted company.
David tells us that we can leave our bikes at a friend’s, (pregnant pause, here). Well, we ain'twith it, but David swears it's cool, and we say, “It damn well better be, bud!” Which it was, by theway. But, while securing our rides, two of David's friends sound like they're about to kill eachother! More entertainment! One guy gets dropped off by his truck and we all head for the apartment.
The next day, whew, another one, we have breakfast with David, say thanks, and farewell. Anotherreminder of why I quit drinking… So, our heroes (that's us!), ease on up the Carolina coast on our way to Cape Hatteras. We wentthrough Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, and promptly got lost, but this tough old soldier helped us to getfound again.
Well, to get to Cape Hatteras from the south, you have to take a ferry from Cedar Island, and it isWAY COOL! The ride is a little over two hours, so you're way in the fuck out in the water! This iswhere we met Guy T. Swain, another talker, but he was okay. He said he was with a HOG chapter fromaround that area, and gave us each a HOG pin. We also met two retired Highway Patrol guys who werewilling to share their tales of the road and of life in general.
We land at Ocracoke Island, find a place for a drink, and also find a campsite for the night. I gotup early to catch the sunrise, but it was too fast for me and got away…yuk, yuk. From Ocracoke,we had to take another short ferry ride to get to Cape Hatteras. Along the way we learned about themany shipwrecks, over 500, that happened along what is called the Outer Banks. Supposedly, there'sall kinds of treasure still out there in the ocean.
In Buxton, there is this big lighthouse that Mr. Robert insisted that I climb to the top of, whichI did, and lived to tell the tale! Some 257 steps from the ground to the landing, whew!! View was spectacular,though, especially of the cutie behind us who had to take REALLY DEEP breaths, if ya know what Imean… But, it was a cool place that I wouldn't mind visiting again sometime.
Following 12 North, we stop for gas at the Nags Head/Manteo area, and a bad storm was right on ourtails. We were hiding out at the gas station when the attendant told us to bring our bikes into oneof the bays to wait it out. Very cool!From there, we followed 64 West through the swamplands. We caught some more rain on the way so wepulled over at a convenience store to wait it out. This farmer-type walks up to us and says, “Ah,motorcycle riders!” Of course, with the typical where ya goin', where ya been kinda stuff, which isokay, 'cause ya get a feel for the people in the neighborhood. However,this guy proceeds to tell us his life story about all his aches and pains and medical problems,etc., etc. “Well, I'm 51 years old and I've had all these problems…” I got to thinking,'man, I'm49 and from listening to this guy, I don't have a problem in the world!'
So, onward to I-95 to Battleboro, where we had a bite to eat, was waited on by the lovely MissJasmine (and her lovely round ass), then got a room for the night. Road fatigue had set in! Next day, we're off to Richmond, Va., to find the dealership and buy some shirts.
Afterward, we ride west to find the Blue Ridge Parkway,which is off Hwy. 60. Did I mention that this part of the country is really beautiful, with rolling hills, and just ahint of fog. If you ever get a chance, this is a ride worth taking. Then it started to rain. Notstorming kinda rain, but spitting and sputtering kinda rain, and believe me, at 3600 feet, it'sright chilly! When we got to Front Royal, Va., Robert and I decided to bust ass to Hagerstown, Md.and get a room. This is where Robert met the weird pizza guy, with the star tattoo on his face, whotook him to the liquor store in his truck with the passenger seat that wasn't bolted down. Moreexciting adventures!
We ate pizza, called the women, and zonked out in the warmth! This call is where I discover thatmy step-son, 20-year-old, had gone and gotten himself a tattoo, which mother doesn't really care for ATALL, hehehe…
After calling the York Harley factory, we found that they're only doing the tour thing from 9 till 2,so we gotta jam!From I-81, we rode through Gettysburg, and on into York. Lots of road construction there, and it tooka long time to get where we were going. After arriving in York, and talking with a few locals, wefinally did arrive at the factory.
It's an interesting place to see how your machine goes together, and all, but whatreally caught our eye was the hot-to-trot tour guide, Miss Katie! It was most difficult payingattention to what she was saying without our nasty little minds trolling around in the gutter, likemost breathing heterosexual males!
Well, more trinkets and clothing for the women and we were outta there. Both kinda hungry, so westopped for a bite to eat. After being seated, this cutie-pie waitress, Miss Holly (YEAH!), is at thenext aisle and I kinda whisper, 'hey, come here', and damned, if she doesn't! First, Katie at thefactory, and now this, too much, man, too much!
After eating and some goodhearted flirting allaround, sadly, we must travel on…sniff, sniff… She even watched us leave from the window! Back through Gettysburg Park and a really short history lesson, it's was on the road again.Down I-81 to I-68 and westerly, and damned if it didn’t start raining again! It was getting close todark thirty, at this point, and Robert decides to crank it on. Light drizzling rain, 50-somethingdegree weather, approaching darkness, and this guy's doing 80 mph down a road neither one of us haveever been on! I'm thinking,'well, if it happens, I hope it's quick.' Kinda funny how that kindathing goes through your mind every now and then, ain't it ??
In the midst of this high-speedinsanity, we see a black form moving along the roadside. It's a bear!! This really made the trip forme, 'cause I'd never seen a bear out in the world like that before. I think the loud thunder of twoV-twins may have scared the guy!We land at Morgantown, W.Va. and find a place to crash for the night.
Before moving out, Robert wanted to visit the local dealership for another shirt, or something. Aswe walk in, Robert says 'hey', and I believe these two stuck up dolls at the front desk actuallyacknowledged our presence! He's looking around the clothes and I'm just kinda wandering around andNOBODY says a word to me whatsoever! At a lot of these places, the salespeople will almost attackyou with all their banter, but not at this place!!! Needless to say, this left quite a badimpression on this wayward wanderer!
Heading south, we took I-79 to 19 to the New River Gorge. There is this huge bridge that crossedthe New River, and did I mention, again, about how truly beautiful this area was?! Robert bought acamera along the way, and if he, or his wife, can figure out how to unload the bastard, pics will follow. From there wefollowed the backroads to Charleston, where we saw many coal mines and factories, which bringsanother subject to mind, the tragic deaths of some of the coal miners. It's gotta be a tough life.
I-64 took us to the Lexington, Ky. neighborhood, where we met Officer Friendly. On one hand, Iwanted to camp and save a little money, and on the other hand, I wanted a shower and a bed. Well,we're at a state park discussing the matter, Robert's doctoring his Diet Coke just a tiny bit, whenup drove this state park ranger guy. He's asked who we ride for, etc., etc., and Robert kepthis distance while the good officer and I look at a map. He told us that he knew thisclub and that club, blah, blah, and he finally decides that we aren't going to eat him, or anything,and leaves. Then we took the opportunity and beat it out of there to go terrorize some moresquirrels, and shit like that. Ya just never know, ya know?
We got a room in Richmond, and the guy even gave us a slight break!Since this was to be the last day of the trip, we wanted to wander around some. So, we took thisroad and that road and ended up at a dead end at a river. Robert and I look at each other like, 'Endof the road!' This part of the ride really made me think about my brother-in-law, George, who'sfighting cancer. He liked doing shit like this, just taking off without a destination, oreven a direction half the time. He needs lots of prayers!
So, after a couple of hours of this type activity, we find the Western Kentucky Parkway, then theJulian M Carroll Parkway, and Highway 51 south to the house in scenic Atoka, Tennessee!
Until next time…
